Is It Too Much to Handle Two Jobs While in High School?

I'm considering picking up a second part-time job in addition to my current one. Is it feasible to juggle two jobs alongside schoolwork, or am I setting myself up for burnout?

Attempting to balance two jobs with school can be a challenging task. However, whether or not it's possible and advisable really depends on a number of factors unique to you.

Consider the following variables:

- Hours: How many hours per week are you currently working at your first job? How many hours would the second job require? It's vital to make sure you're not over-committing yourself in terms of time. Remember, there are only 168 hours in a week, and that includes the time you need for sleeping, eating, school, homework, and self-care.

- School load: Are you taking AP or IB classes? Do they require a significant amount of homework or independent study? If you're already invested in classes that are demanding, adding more work hours might cause stress and lower academic achievement.

- Personal resilience: Are you someone that thrives in busy environments, or do you instead do best when you have downtime included in your day? You need to be honest with yourself about what levels of stress and time commitment you can handle.

- Future goals: It's essential to consider what your ultimate goal for high school is. If you're aiming for a selective college where academic performance significantly impacts admission, you might want to prioritize school over work. However, if you're focused on building work experience or saving for a specific purpose, another job might be the right move.

Here's an example of how you could make it work: If your first job is something you can do on weekends and the second one is an after-school job for 2-3 days per week, it might be manageable with good time management and academic discipline.

But remember, it's important to take care of yourself and make sure you're not overloaded. School is vital, but so is your wellbeing.